


La Belle au bois dormant

by ASongofIceandHope



Category: Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: F/M, Sleeping Beauty AU, fairytale AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-03
Updated: 2017-09-05
Packaged: 2018-12-23 11:12:51
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,980
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11988630
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ASongofIceandHope/pseuds/ASongofIceandHope
Summary: When The North celebrates the birth of Lady Sansa, all the realm is invited to celebrate with them. Each Lady of a Great House bestows a gift upon the little lady, including Cersei Lannister, whose presence at the celebration is both unexpected and unnerving.*Sleeping Beauty AU*





	1. The Curse

**Author's Note:**

> So there's a lot of magic elements in this fic; all the ladies of the great houses are capable of bestowing blessings upon Sansa, and Cersei is like extra magical. So this is definitely a fairytale AU. Also, the version of Sleeping Beauty that I am most familiar with is the Disney one, so at least in this chapter, some lines are taken from the film. I might mess with some other versions of the tale, but we'll see.

Once upon a time, in a kingdom known as The North, lived a lord and lady. The two lived in a mighty castle called Winterfell. Their names were Eddard and Catelyn. They lived in Winterfell with their only son Robb, who was the light of their lives. But Lady Catelyn longed for another child, for a daughter who would be hers to spoil and love. Lady Catelyn prayed to the gods to give her a second child, and her prayers were answered. Her belly soon swelled with child, and when the time came, a daughter was pulled from her. The little daughter, whose name was Sansa, took after her mother and brother in looks; she was born with fine wisps of flaming red hair and the most beautiful blue eyes. Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn were so overjoyed at the birth of their daughter that they invited all the lords and ladies of the Seven Kingdoms to Winterfell to celebrate her birth. They even invited their young king, Rhaegar, who brought with him his two wives, and three young children. 

At the celebration for little Sansa’s birth, each of the ladies of the Great Houses bestowed blessings upon the newborn. Lady Lysa blessed her niece (as she was Lady Catelyn’s sister) with the gift of song, so that her days would be filled with the joys of music. Queen Elia blessed Sansa with the gift of beauty, so that she would shine amongst women. Queen Lyanna blessed her little niece (as she was Lord Eddard’s sister) with a keen mind, so that she could never be fooled. Lady Selyse gave her the gift of grace, in hopes that such grace would draw a fine husband to her. The Lady of the Riverlands gave Sansa a true gift; a skill with a needle, as the needle was a woman’s sword.

Lady Olenna of the Reach was about to bless the little girl with her final blessing, when the doors to the great hall flung open. Standing just beyond the threshold was Lady Cersei of the House Lannister. Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn exchanged glances; they had not invited Lady Cersei to the celebration for they knew the woman held their house in great disdain. Lady Cersei had wanted to marry their king, and had been enraged when King Rhaegar, then the crown prince, chose Lady Lyanna instead. 

“Lady Cersei, it is a… surprise to see you here,” Lord Eddard stated uneasily. “Please, eat and drink your fill and help us celebrate—“

“The birth of your lovely little daughter?” Cersei finished for him. She peered down into the cradle that was before the head table. “My, she is a lovely creature. Such a sweet little face. She will grow to look like her mother.” Everyone in the room was on edge; the king and Lord Eddard both had their hands on the hilts of their swords. Cersei looked at Lady Olenna, who was both perturbed and unimpressed with Cersei’s interruption. “Ah, I have arrived just in time to bestow my blessing on the little lady! How… auspicious.”

“You needn't worry, Lady Cersei,” Lady Catelyn assured. 

“Nonsense,” Cersei purred. “It wouldn't be right if the sweet babe didn't receive a gift from a woman of each great house. And I have just the thing.” Outside, thunder rumbled ominously and Catelyn and Eddard rose to their feet. “Listen well! All of you! The Lady Sansa shall indeed grow in grace and beauty, beloved by all who know her. But… before the sun sets on her sixteenth nameday, she shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel—and die!”

“Oh no!” Catelyn cried, running forth and snatching Sansa from her cradle. 

“Seize her!” King Rhaegar and Lord Eddard both shouted. But Lady Cersei’s powers were far greater than any of the others, and she disappeared in a column of red flame. Lord Eddard approached his wife, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders as she held their sweet girl close. 

“Do not fear, my lord and lady,” Queen Elia assured calmly. “Lady Olenna still has her gift to give.” Lady Catelyn looked up at her, tears shining in her sapphire eyes. 

“And she can undo this… this curse?” she asked.

“Oh no!” Queen Lyanna exclaimed. “Lady Cersei’s powers are far too great. But she can… change the curse.” 

“Let me see what I can do,” Lady Olenna said. Lady Catelyn held Sansa out so the older woman could see the babe. A small smile graced Olenna’s face. “She truly is lovely, my lady. Now, let’s see… Sweet Sansa, if through this wicked witch's trick, a spindle should your finger prick... a ray of hope there still may be in this, the gift I give to thee. Not in death, but just in sleep, the fateful prophecy you'll keep. And from this slumber you shall wake, when true love's kiss, the spell shall break.”

Lord Eddard thanked Lady Olenna, but he and the king ordered that every spinning wheel in the entirety of the Seven Kingdoms be burned that night. The order went by raven to every holdfast in Westeros, and the many bonfires could be seen if one walked the battlements of Winterfell. 

“True love’s first kiss?” Little Prince Aemon whispered to his mother, Queen Lyanna. “What does that mean?” While but a boy of five, he was bright for his age and eternally curious. 

Queen Lyanna chuckled and pushed back his dark, wild curls from his forehead; his curls which were so much like his father’s. When little Sansa had been born, there had been talk of betrothing her to her cousin, but now that she could only wake from her curse with true love’s first kiss… well, it certainly complicated things. “It means that Sansa will only wake from a deep sleep someday when she's kissed by the one lord or prince that she's meant to be with forever,” she explained. 

“Why would anyone want to kiss her? She's all… squishy…” Aemon wrinkled his nose.

“She won't look like that forever, stupid,” Aemon’s older brother Aegon huffed. “Someday, she’ll look like Lady Catelyn! Didn't you pay any attention?” Aegon was to be the king someday, so he always paid attention to everything. The same could not always be said for his little brother. 

“Don't call me stupid, Egg!” Aemon exclaimed, pouncing at him and tackling him to the ground in front of the entire party. “I just wanna protect Sansa!”

King Rhaegar was drawn from a hushed conversation with Lord Eddard, and pulled Aemon off of his brother. “And just what do you think you're doing?” he asked sternly. The king loved all his children, but sometimes Aemon’s behavior required a bit of discipline. He was as wild as The North, he often complained. Queen Lyanna told him he should have expected that, having married a woman of The North. 

“He called me stupid because I'm worried about Sansa,” Aemon mumbled. 

“Well, you're right to be worried, Aemon,” King Rhaegar stated. “We are all worried about Sansa. Which is why Lord Eddard and I have arranged for Lady Sansa to be raised at the Red Keep, under the protection of the Kingsguard. When she's old enough, she will be a handmaiden to your sister, Rhaenys. And, if the curse is avoided, she will wed either you or Aegon.” 

“Ned, do you think that's wise?” Lady Catelyn whispered to her husband. 

“There is no safer place for her than under the king’s protection, Cat,” Lord Eddard replied. “And she will be with my sister and Aemon; The North will be with her through them.”

A fortnight later, Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn watched with heavy hearts as their only daughter was spirited away south, off to the capitol in hopes that the king and his men could keep her safe.


	2. A Mysterious Stranger

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Years pass and Sansa grows into the beautiful woman everyone hoped she would be. While venturing into the kingswood, she meets a young man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so glad I have a little audience for this short and sweet little fic! It's only going to be three chapters, so this isn't gonna be a long haul. I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

The years passed and Lady Sansa did indeed grow in grace and beauty. She served her princess, Rhaenys, dutifully, and was close with her aunt, Queen Lyanna. Her red hair grew down to her waist, but the young handmaiden rarely wore it down so plainly, favoring the intricate hairstyles of the royal court. She rarely saw the two princes, as Aegon spent much of his time at Dragonstone with his uncle and aunt, Prince Viserys and Princess Daenerys, and Prince Aemon was overseeing the reconstruction of Summerhall. Both princes had been fostered away when she was very young. Aegon had been sent to Prince Doran, while Aemon had gone to the Eyrie to foster with Jon Arryn. Sansa had been around three or four, and had very few memories of them. It wasn’t something Sansa truly fretted over; she received much attention from the knights of the court, including Ser Jaime of the Kingsguard. He was Lady Cersei’s brother, and her rumored lover, but he was far from the wicked creature his sister was. If he wasn't part of the Kingsguard, Sansa fancied she would marry him and become Lady of Casterly Rock. She heard that the castle was magnificent, with a beautiful view of the sea. 

Sansa was thinking of such a view as she brushed out the princess’ hair one morning. Rhaenys noticed her mind was far away, and smirked in her mirror. “Where does your mind wander, Lady Sansa?” she questioned. The girl’s fair cheeks colored a pretty shade of pink, and she shook her head.

“Oh, nowhere,” she lied easily. It was a skill she wasn’t proud of, but one that was quickly learned in the royal court. 

Rhaenys hummed to herself, clearly not believing her young handmaiden. “Your nameday is fast approaching,” she continued, changing the subject. “I have heard my mother and Queen Lyanna all aflutter and chattering over planning a fine feast. My father has said he will play the harp for such an occasion. What do you think of that?”

“You all are too kind to me,” Sansa remarked. “I would have been content with seeing my brothers and sister.” After Sansa was born, another daughter, Arya, and two more sons, Brandon and Rickon, were borne to Lord Eddard and Lady Catelyn. Living in the capitol, Sansa rarely got to see them. 

In the city, the bells of the Great Sept of Baelor rang, marking the time. Sansa gasped and set down Rhaenys’ hairbrush.

“What is it?” Rhaenys asked.

Sansa hurried around the bedchamber, grabbing a simple shawl to cover her head and a basket. She often hid her red locks if she was going into the city. “I promised the cook I would go out into the forest and gather some blackberries! She needs them for the tarts she plans to make for supper this evening!” she explained. “Oh, please forgive me, princess!” 

Rhaenys chuckled and dismissed her with ease.

Quickly, Sansa hurried from the room and out of the castle, exiting the southern gate of King’s Landing. The best blackberry bushes were just off the road in that direction, and Sansa was determined to fill the basket she’d brought (and eat her fill of the ripe fruit). 

Most young women were afraid to venture into the forest alone, but Sansa found some comfort in it. There was some danger, and she knew that if the king or her queenly aunt knew she was leaving the castle unaccompanied she would get into a great deal of trouble, but Sansa savored the bit of freedom her time away from the castle afforded her. Above her, larks sang and fluttered to and fro, and squirrels and rabbits skittered around her feet. Once she was sure she was alone, she pulled her shawl from her head, wrapping it around her shoulders as she picked berries. They stained her fingers a dark purple, and she popped the first few into her mouth. They burst on her tongue, filling her mouth with sweetness. They were so delicious that Sansa nearly moaned in delight, and ate a handful before she began to fill the basket. She began to hum a little tune to herself about Jenny of Oldstones and the Prince of Dragonflies when she heard a branch snap somewhere toward the road. A gasp escaped her lips, and Sansa ducked behind the blackberry bush, peeking out from it. 

A young man, perhaps around one-and-twenty, was leading his mount into the woods, likely looking for a place to water his horse. Sansa felt like there was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t quite put her finger on it. When he looked her way, she ducked back behind the bush and hoped he hadn’t noticed her staring at him.

“Hey!” the young man exclaimed. “You shouldn’t be out here alone!”

Sansa sheepishly slipped out from behind the bush, hoping her face wasn’t covered in blackberry juice. Secretly she was glad because she could get a better look at her mysterious stranger; he was about her height (she was tall for a woman) with dark curls and equally dark eyes. His complexion was as fair as her own, making the darkness of his other features all the more striking. The young man was not clean-shaven, but instead grew a beard like her father and older brother did. Sansa could not figure out whether he was common-born or a highborn man, as he wore no sigil marking his allegiance to any certain house.

“I-I’m sorry, I was just going—“

“Haven’t I seen you before?” he inquired. Sansa shook her head.

“I have never met you, Ser,” she replied. A small smile graced his face and he shook his head.

“No, don't you see? We have met before,” he stated. “Once upon a dream.” Sansa laughed aloud at the ridiculousness of it all and shook her head. 

“Do you truly take me for a silly maid?” Sansa scoffed. “I must be going, Ser. I am expected elsewhere.” She started toward the road and he followed her, grabbing her arm and spinning her back to face him. “Ser!”

“Where can I find you?” He searched her eyes with his own, amazed at how clear and blue they were.

“The Red Keep,” she told him. “I am the ward of the king. Now good day, Ser.” With a huff, Sansa wrenched her arm from his grasp and continued back to the Red Keep. When she returned, Sansa entered the kitchen and was amazed to find fresh lemon cakes cooling. They were Sansa’s favorite. The cook thanked her for the fresh blackberries; it was clear to Sansa that the cook had been busy all day. To herself, Sansa counted the days back in her head, and realized with a nervous flutter that she had forgotten that today was in fact her nameday. The royal family must have been planning a surprise party for her! She was filled with such excitement that she ran upstairs to her bedchamber, surprised to find a fine new blue gown laid out across her bed. The silk was smooth and rippled beneath her fingers like water.

“Happy nameday, sweet girl,” an old woman Sansa had never seen stated from the doorway, just beyond the threshold. Her appearance startled her, but Sansa managed a smile.

“Thank you,” she returned. “I suppose I must put this on?” 

“Oh yes,” the old woman grinned. “Then the king has a special surprise for you, once you’ve changed, if you would just follow me.” 

Sansa smiled warmly and slipped behind her changing screen. The new gown fit her perfectly, revealing a touch of her bosom, as she was now truly a woman; the sleeves hung low, and nearly grazed the ground like the sleeves on the gorgeous dresses her aunt wore. When she slipped back out from behind the screen, the woman was waiting for her. 

“Wonderful,” the old woman hummed. “Follow me, sweet girl.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hm, three guesses as to who the old woman is... lol.
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	3. True Love's First Kiss

Sansa followed the old woman up the winding staircase, the hard heels of her slippers clicking on the stones. She wondered what the king had planned for her; very few people used the rooms beyond her own. Sansa had chosen her bedchamber for its view of the gardens, and its proximity to the kitchens. Everyone else was located off in the royal apartments. The old woman turned to look at her when they reached a door, and opened it slowly. Inside, was a strange object Sansa had never seen before. It sat on three legs, and seemed to have a treadle beneath it. The main bulk of the object was a great wheel, that must turn if the treadle was pushed down. Sansa approached the thing, and could feel the old woman watching her.

“What is it?” Sansa asked. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why the king would give her such a gift. 

“It’s called a spinning wheel,” the woman replied. “Come, sit at it and try to spin.” 

Hesitantly, Sansa sat where the old woman told her. The entire concept was completely foreign to her, and Sansa listened intently to the woman’s instructions. As she began to try to spin by herself, Sansa's index finger accidentally grazed the spindle. With a gasp, she recoiled, watching as a drop of blood blossomed at the tip of her finger. 

The old woman began to cackle, and thunder rumbled outside the window. Sansa began to feel dizzy, and vaguely heard the shouts of guards running up the stairs before everything faded to black.

When the guards reached the room, they found Cersei Lannister standing inside next to a spinning wheel. When she turned to look at them, she revealed Lady Sansa, asleep on a bed with her hair splayed out across the pillows like flames. The guards tried to capture Cersei, but she once again evaded them. After she disappeared, the men went to their king to tell him what had happened. He had been waiting with the rest of the royal family for Sansa to appear at the feast that was being held in her honor. Queen Lyanna wept for her niece, and demanded to see her. The guards tried to take her, but a thicket of rose bushes had begun to grow, separating Sansa from anyone who would dare try to wake her. 

“Cersei’s work, no doubt,” Lyanna muttered. “My niece’s only hope is a champion, now.” 

Lady Olenna, who was among the merrymakers for Sansa’s nameday, frowned. After Cersei herself, she was the most skilled at magic in the Seven Kingdoms. She cast a spell over the castle and all its occupants, so that they would all sleep as long as Lady Sansa remained in her slumber. 

“May her true love make haste to the castle,” she sighed as she took up a post to await some young knight or prince to try and wake the young lady.

*

On the Kingsroad, Prince Aemon was just nearing the city of King’s Landing when he noticed that the whole capitol seemed to be in an eternal slumber. He quickly realized that Lady Cersei’s curse had come to pass, and that the whole city was at rest with Lady Sansa. As he approached the gates, Lady Olenna of the House Tyrell appeared. He dismounted and began to speak with her.

“My cousin rests?” Aemon guessed. She nodded, looking him over.

“And you must be her champion,” she stated. “Use the sword of Valyrian steel you arm yourself with and get to her before Cersei hides her away forever. You must hurry, Aemon!”

Aemon nodded and mounted his horse once more, urging it to a gallop as he raced through the streets of King’s Landing. He dodged falling rocks and debris, thrown down at him by some of Cersei’s henchmen. Just as he was about to reach the castle, a column of green flame erupted before him. Aemon recognized it as wild fire, and pulled his horse back. Cersei Lannister cackled overhead, and he noticed her atop a roof. She threw another jar down, and Aemon dismounted his horse again, not watching as it rode off into the city away from the flames. 

“Run, Prince of Summerhall!” Cersei taunted. “Run, or you will burn!”

Aemon dodged yet another jar, and began to climb up the side of another house. As he did, he noticed a bow and a quiver of arrows just inside. He snatched them, and focused on Cersei as he notched an arrow. He’d always been a good shot with a bow; or, at least, better than his older brother. The first arrow whizzed past Cersei’s head, and she screeched in ire. 

“You will pay for that!” she shouted. Aemon ignored her and took aim once more. The second arrow struck her shoulder, sinking into her flesh. Still, it was not enough to deter the witch. He would have to pierce her heart. 

A jar of wild fire shattered near him, and Aemon had to leap from the rooftop he was on. His landing wasn’t as clean as he’d like, but as he’d leapt, he had loosed another arrow. This one flew straight and true, striking Cersei in the heart. She erupted into a column of green flame, and died with an earsplitting screech. Aemon limped off toward the castle, using the bow to steady himself as his ankle throbbed in protest. His injuries were not his priority; freeing Sansa from her slumber was far more important. 

When he reached the castle, Aemon drew his sword (a gift from House Mormont), and hacked his way through the thickets that had magically taken over the castle. It was slow and tiring work, especially with an injured ankle, but he did it. When he mounted the stairs to the room in which Sansa slumbered, Aemon thought of the young woman he’d encountered in the woods earlier in the day. He had thought, at the time, that the young woman likely looked just like his cousin, whom he was going to try and save from her curse.

Upon reaching the door, Aemon nearly collapsed on the stairs. Sansa was in the tallest tower of the Red Keep, and it had been a struggle to reach her. When he opened the door, Aemon was surprised to find the girl from the forest laying on the bed. The girl, whom Aemon had thought to be just a peasant girl, was in fact his noble cousin. He dropped his sword and moved to the bed, taking her sleeping form into his arms. Aemon admired her fine hair, and her soft, pouting lips. 

“Gods, I hope this works,” he muttered to himself before pressing his lips tenderly against hers. 

At first, nothing happened and Aemon feared that Lady Olenna had been wrong. He started to rise from the bed, only to be drawn back to his seated position when he heard a small yawn escape Sansa’s lips. Her eyes fluttered open, and he admired the beautiful sapphire of them as she looked up at him curiously. 

“It… It’s you!” she exclaimed. “The man from the forest! But… But what are you…”

“Sansa, you truly don’t recognize me?” Aemon asked. “You do not recognize your own cousin?” Sansa’s eyes took in his face, and she gently cupped his cheek. 

“Aemon?” Sansa began to smile. “You… You were on your way to my nameday celebration, weren't you? That’s why you were on the road!” He nodded. “Did you truly recognize me when we were out in the forest?”

“No,” Aemon admitted. “I did not expect you to grow so lovely. You are the loveliest creature I have ever laid eyes on.”

They embraced once more, Sansa pressing her lips to his passionately. The king and queens appeared in the doorway, as they had been woken from their slumbers as well. Lyanna smiled at the sight of her niece in the arms of her son, and looked at her kingly husband. 

“It would seem to me, husband, that we have a wedding to plan,” she smiled.

**Author's Note:**

> So if you're going with the Disney version, Sansa is clearly Aurora, Aemon/Jon is Prince Phillip, Cersei is Maleficent, and Lady Olenna is Merryweather. 
> 
> Next chapter will probably be a time jump to just before Sansa's sixteenth nameday.
> 
> Thanks for reading! Don't forget kudos/comments!


End file.
